Boston/Mansfield, MA, USA - Media Reviews
Goin' Def: Leppard roars in Mansfield By Bill Brotherton
At this time last year, Def Leppard frontman Joe Elliott opined that popmetal band Poison was more interested in its image than its music. Poison's Rikki Rockett fired back, challenging Elliott to a bare-knuckles fight.
How times have changed. Barely a year later, it seems Def Lep and Poison have kissed and made up - they're now touring together.
Tuesday night at the Comcast Center, a near capacity crowd had nothin' but a good time as the triple bill of hard-rockin' Def Leppard, glamour boys Poison and power-pop oddballs Cheap Trick relived the days when hair was huge and worries were few.
Headliner Def Lep made their desires known right away - they came to rock. In fact, the band's first three songs were "Rock! Rock! Till You Drop," "Rocket" and "Let's Get Rocked." The Brits' infectious blend of Mott the Hoople glam and Led Zep heaviosity continues to excite, and Elliott's voice - he'll be 50 on Aug. 1 - was strong and sure, until the encore when it gave out and became a raw croak.
Such is the case when you give your all for 90 minutes. Def Lep's twin guitar attack by the buff, shirtless Phil Collen and Viv Campbell sent every song into overdrive. Even the power ballads rocked. The righteous rhythm section of Rick Savage and drummer Rick Allen set the pace, making a cover of David Essex's '70s hit "Rock On" a powerhouse.
A midset acoustic run-through of "Two Steps Behind" and a sterling "Bringing on the Heartbreak" was pure nirvana with its four-part harmonies. And how's this for a closing six-pack: "Hysteria," "Animal," "Armageddon It," "Photograph," "Pour Some Sugar On Me" and "Rock of Ages"?
Poison's hourlong set paled by comparison. When we last saw Bret Michaels, America's greatest stimulus package for sleazy women was forced to open up and say "Ahhh crap" after being beaned by an piece of scenery following a live performance at the Tony Awards.
No such problems Tuesday night. From the first notes of opener "Look What the Cat Dragged In" through "Unskinny Bop," "Talk Dirty To Me," "Every Rose has Its Thorn" and an acoustic "Something to Believe In," Poison was on their game, even if the set was nearly identical to their one-night stand at the Pavilion last summer. It's time for Michaels and crew to shake things up.
Cheap Trick seemed like an odd opener, with its intelligent blend of Beatles-esque hooks and hard-rocking riffs. But top-hatted lead singer Robin Zander was in splendid voice during a too-short set that featured hits "Surrender" and "I Want You to Want Me." Goofy guitarist Rick Nielsen clearly enjoyed himself, bringing out his absurd five-necked axe and adding a scorching solo to the brand new "Sick Man of Europe." Some 35 years on, Cheap Trick remains a class act.
By Boston Herald 2009.
'80s band package tour provides three times the power pop sleaze By Sarah Rodman
Sugar poured? Check. Roses inspected for thorns? Yup. Flame produced? Oh, yeah.
Def Leppard, Poison, and Cheap Trick made for a mostly hot, sticky sweet triple bill last night at the Comcast Center.
It wasn't exactly a hat trick - we'll get to Poison in a minute - but it was one of this summer's smarter package tours. The three bands - all pop at their cores, with varying degrees of power chords applied - took the all killer, no filler approach. They hit the stage, knocked out the hits, and quit while they were ahead.
While it can be difficult to watch the mighty Cheap Trick doing a 40-minute opening set while the sun is still out, the Chicago power pop pioneers certainly exhibited more oomph than they have in recent years. Top-hatted frontman Robin Zander was in great voice - even hitting the sometimes unattainable money note in "The Flame" - and bounding around with as much energy to classics like "Dream Police" and "Surrender" as his always manic guitar foil Rick Nielsen.
The admirably fit members of Poison played an energetic hourlong middle set but frontman Bret Michaels - he of the ever-present cowboy hat and harem of reality show vixens - was not, to put it charitably, having a good night vocally. There were also some feedback and rhythm problems that didn't make second-string hair metal tunes like "Ride the Wind" and lighter-prompting ballad "Every Rose Has its Thorn" any more palatable. Guitarist C.C. Deville remains a nimble player whose soloing is not that pleasant to listen to, and the manic and repetitive nature of Michaels's canned banter and thanks, genuine though it seemed to be, got old quickly.
Def Leppard arrived and made Poison look like amateurs.
For 90 minutes, the British hard rockers reproduced the irresistible polish and whomp of their meticulously crafted raunch 'n' roll with airy harmonies and the dense riffing of the naturally shirtless Phil Collen and eventually shirtless Vivian Campbell.
Frontman Joe Elliott apparently goes to a different personal trainer, but whoever takes care of his voice does nice work, as Elliott got his gruff croon and cathartic scream on for most of the night, only showing signs of fatigue toward the end. The band tore through its seemingly endless string of hits in its hard candy catalog - the quivering "Hysteria," the racing and ridiculous "Armageddon It," the walloping "Rock of Ages," the edible stomp of "Pour Some Sugar On Me" - with youthful glee. A quick acoustic set included "Bringing on the Heartbreak" and the solid 2008 track "Nine Lives" reminded the enthusiastically vocal crowd that this Leppard still has a few spots worth checking out.
By Boston Globe 2009.
At 9:30 P.M. one of the most popular bands of the metal genre Def Leppard took the stage with a vengeance. The Def Leppard stage show featured spectacular lighting, a video screen that almost spanned the entire stage, and a catwalk in which every member walk down to showcase their talent. The video screen launched photos of the band from past to present spanning their illustrious career in music.
Singer Joe Elliot owned the stage, with his powerful vocals. Opening with "Rock!Rock!Till You Drop," the band was surely there to rock unleashing hit after hit to the capacity crowd. Fueled by the extradonairy guitar work of Phil Collen and Vivian Campbell, highlights of the set would include the acoustic performance of "Two Steps Behind," "Bringing On The Heartbreak", and new song "Nine Lives."
The show didn't end there. Def Leppard packed a powerful end of night punch with "Hysteria," "Animal," and "Rock Of Ages." For one night music fans got to re-live the heyday of their youth with songs that have outlasted the test of time and everyone had nothing but a good time!
By Hardrock Haven 2009.
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